Visualizing 2025: How to Craft the Perfect Vision Board

As the first quarter quell of the century takes shape and, frankly, already gives many of us whiplash, a vision of what 2025 could look like seems fuzzy, frightening, and faithless. From political turmoil to a climate crisis, 2025 has already made us a little more cynical. 

2025.

But hey, it’s only January. 

Hours before the clock struck midnight on December 31st, 2023, I hovered above my dining room table. Glossy, 4x6 Pinterest pictures covered the table with delicate chaos. I began a new tradition. 

Every year, I’d visualize the year ahead, picture to paper. On a poster board that snuggled into a frame, wondersome words and personal photos came together to create what I hoped was a mirror to the year approaching in a few short hours. 

December 31st, 2024, I continued this tradition. The project from the year prior hung precariously by Command strips on my apartment wall, motivating me every day to make my year match what a younger me craved. 

So, as we involuntarily enter 2025 with an attempted positive attitude for the new chapter we have to write, I find hand-picking personal photos that represent everything you want these next 365 pages to tell can bridge the gap between your imaginary 2025 and reality. 

1. Choose your categories! 

Curious quotes, poetry and prose. 

Friends and fun, memories and money. 

Love, life, and liberty. 

Where, what, and who do you want to see? For me, I had piles of pictures categorized by quotes and words, vacation spots, pets and people, school and career, and fun filler pictures that fit the vibe – girly, glamorous, and goal-oriented. For my 22x28 poster board, I used around 80 pictures from Pinterest for the project, but cutting out clips of magazines, using your own photos, some off the internet, or a combination can be equally as efficacious. 

2. Start on the edges!

2024.

What I found led to fewer problems later was lining the edges of the poster board with pictures before I worked on the center. If you’re using words, make sure the frame’s border won’t cut letters off – quotes can typically be layered on top of other photos. 

3. Layering!

As briefly mentioned above, vision boards can be taken to the next level by layering your pictures. Covering up unnecessary edges on your photos or trimming them off can free up space and elevate the board, creating a cohesive look. 

4. Do whatever YOU want! 

While there are tips and tricks that helped me create my vision boards, this is your vision, your year. Do whatever you want! 

A vision board is yours to make, and so is this year!